Grinding out another day

This Ride: 22 miles Month: 80.8 miles 2011: 80.8 milesCumulative Total: 6,200.5 miles

Another poor night’s sleep. When I woke at 2:30 I considered turning off the alarm, but then decided to make a “game day decision” about the ride. The alarm rang, I got up, and I was out the door before my brain caught up. That’s how it is with habituated behaviors.

It was nearly 10° F warmer than yesterday morning (meaning I overdressed). Thirty-two is an awkward temperature with the gear I have. It is easy to have either too much or too little on. I was damp at the end of the ride. Seven of us were out and the pace the first 1/3 of the ride was sedate. Dave, who usually pushes the pace on Wednesdays was content to sit back in the pack.

Two interesting threads of conversation dominated this first part of the ride. At least 4 SPP members are going to ride a night-time 200k permanent in just over a week. They will start at 7 pm and ride through the night. They’ve planned this for a night with a full moon on a route that is pretty isolated. I think it will be fun. The other topic is related to the bantering going on the email list about a “time trial” event yet to be planned with the route being THE WALL. It would be our version of The Highway to Heaven Hill Climb, a brutal race in Ellicott City. We rode to Ellicott City to see the race last year. There is interest in forming a local event, so we will have to see how and if it materializes. I volunteered to be the timer.

The last 2/3 of the ride was a bit quicker. At Joyce Rd, the pace picked up. I know I saw 27+ on the speedometer as we approached the turn around point. On the way back, I couldn’t hold the pace and dropped back considerably. The group waited for me at Glen Oban, then we picked up the pace again on B&A Blvd. I was able to hang with the group on that stretch, but I know it wasn’t an all out sprint either. The passenger of one vehicle shouted at us to get off the road and get back on the trail. (Didn’t she know that our 22 mph speed at that point was above the trail speed limit?) [Insert slow head shake here.]

It was a good morning ride, one that would not have happened without both habituation and there being a group of people with which to ride. I’m appreciative of both.